The present invention relates to a tool having a work plate which comprises a mounting area with a mounting opening for mounting the plate on a drive shaft of a drive, preferably an oscillating drive, the mounting opening being configured for being seated on the drive shaft.
A tool of that kind is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,862.
The known tool is provided with a work plate comprising a mounting area with a mounting opening to be mounted on a drive shaft of an oscillating drive. The mounting opening is adapted for being seated in form-locking engagement on a plurality of flanks provided on the end of the drive shaft, and comprises curved sections adapted to the shape of the flanks. The number of curved sections is equal to twice the number of the flanks on the drive shaft.
It is possible in this way to mount and fix the tool on the drive shaft in different angular positions. This is of particular advantage in cases where the respective tool has a an oblong shape, for example, for the purpose of performing sawing operations using an edge arranged opposite the mounting opening.
In order to guarantee such adjustability, the number of curved sections provided on the mounting opening must be equal to an integral multiple of the number of flanks or driver elements provided on the drive shaft. If four driver elements, for example, are provided on the drive shaft, then the number of curved sections on the mounting opening must be at least eight in order to permit the position of the tool to be adjusted in steps of 45°. If finer adjustment, for example by steps of 30°, is required, the number of curved sections on the mounting opening would already be increased to twelve.
In the case of a relatively small diameter of the mounting opening it is, however, difficult to produce such a great number of curved sections, adapted to the corresponding driver elements of the drive shaft, and to adapt them to the driver elements of the drive shaft.
In particular when the tool is made from a relatively soft or ductile material, such as aluminum, sufficiently precise production of a the mounting opening with a great number of curved sections can hardly be guaranteed. Moreover, designing the mounting opening with a plurality of curved sections is no longer possible, if only for reasons of geometry, when a greater number of curved sections is required.
Although in that case it would be possible in principle to make the curved sections a little shorter, sufficiently precise seating of the tool on the drive shaft could no longer be guaranteed in that case.